Transfer Deadline Day 2026: when the window closed, biggest deals, and Leeds late drama

Transfer Deadline Day for the January 2026 window brought a compressed finish, earlier cutoffs, and a familiar mix of frantic paperwork and late collapses. For clubs in England’s top tiers, the key moment came Monday, Feb. 2, when the winter window shut at 2:00 p.m. ET—ending a day that still produced major striker movement, high-fee deals, and a few painful “deal off” twists.

If you’re searching “earthquake near me” equivalents for football—“transfer news,” “deadline day transfers,” “transfer deadline day 2026,” or “when does the transfer window close”—here’s what mattered, with the timeline in Eastern Time.

When does the transfer window close?

In England, the deadline was brought forward this year.

• Premier League and EFL (Championship/League One/League Two): Closed Monday, Feb. 2 at 2:00 p.m. ET

• Scottish Premiership: Closed Monday, Feb. 2 at 6:00 p.m. ET

• Spain (LaLiga): Closed Monday, Feb. 2 at 5:59 p.m. ET

• Women’s Super League (England): Closes Tuesday, Feb. 3 at 6:00 p.m. ET

• Portugal and the Netherlands: Remain open through Tuesday, Feb. 3 (clubs still had time to complete business after England shut)

Even after a league’s window closes, some transfers can still be completed if paperwork was submitted before the deadline and cleared afterward. That’s why you’ll sometimes see deals confirmed slightly later even though “Deadline Day” has technically ended.

The headline striker saga: Mateta stays put

One of the day’s biggest talking points centered on Jean-Philippe Mateta.

A proposed move to Italy fell apart late in the process after medical checks raised concerns, leaving Mateta at his current club and forcing teams to pivot quickly. The collapse mattered beyond the player himself: striker dominoes are usually the final-hour deals that unlock other signings and loans, so when one falls over, multiple clubs can get stuck with Plan B (or no plan at all).

It also created a ripple effect in England, where clubs chasing late forwards suddenly found the market tighter and more expensive.

The biggest completed move: Strand Larsen to Crystal Palace

Deadline Day did deliver a marquee forward transfer: Jørgen Strand Larsen completed a club-record move to Crystal Palace for £48 million.

Palace’s decision to pay that fee on the final day underlined two realities of the winter market:

1. proven-ish Premier League forwards command premium prices in January, and

2. clubs near the bottom half will still spend if they believe goals can change their season trajectory.

The move also became relevant for fans tracking Leeds United’s window, because Leeds had been in the mix for the striker earlier in the month.

Leeds United transfer news: why the striker chase stalled

For Leeds United, Deadline Day frustration came down to timing and leverage.

Leeds made an early bid for Strand Larsen in January that did not meet the selling club’s valuation. Once other bidders emerged, the price rose—and by Deadline Day, the deal was out of Leeds’ control. When Palace landed Strand Larsen, it effectively shut the door on Leeds’ most ambitious striker pursuit of the window.

Leeds’ other widely discussed “what if” was Mateta. With Mateta’s move abroad collapsing, any chain reaction that might have freed up alternative options also fizzled, leaving Leeds with fewer realistic late-window routes to a new No. 9.

The result: plenty of Deadline Day noise, but no clear late breakthrough at Elland Road as the clock hit 2:00 p.m. ET.

Why Deadline Day 2026 felt different

This year’s winter window ended earlier in the day than many fans are used to, which changed the rhythm of Deadline Day:

• The most frantic period shifted into lunchtime in the U.S.

• Clubs had less runway for late negotiating bluffs

• “Paperwork problems” became more punishing because there was less time to recover

It also reinforced a January truth: the winter window is rarely about perfect squad-building. It’s about plugging urgent holes—often at inflated prices—before the season’s final stretch.

What happens after the window shuts

Even with England closed, the overall market doesn’t instantly go quiet:

• Clubs can still sell players to leagues whose windows remain open (Portugal and the Netherlands through Tuesday).

• Women’s clubs in England still have Tuesday to finish deals.

• Teams shift immediately to registering updated squad lists and integrating new signings.

So while “Deadline Day” ended at 2:00 p.m. ET in England, the last meaningful bits of business can still trickle out into Tuesday night—especially with cross-border moves.

Sources consulted: Premier League; English Football League; Reuters; ESPN